Mr Monk Adopts A Baby
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Trudy is doing volenteer work in an orphanage. She falls in love with a newborn baby girl there and she wants to adopt the baby.
1. Hope

Disclaimer: I own Hope and that's all so far

* * *

Trudy hummed to herself as she got dinner ready. She had made Adrian's favorite meal. She hoped he was in a good mood. She had something she really wanted to talk with him about. He would have to be in a good mood to consider saying yes

For the past 5 weeks Trudy had been doing volunteer work in the orphanage. She loved it. Today they had brought in a 2-day old baby girl named Hope. That baby was placed into Trudy's arms and she knew 3 things. 1) She loved that baby girl 2) She HAD to be that child's mother and 3) Adrian would be none too happy about the idea.

He would come up with 20 million reasons why it was a bad idea.

_"I can't change who I am,"_ she could hear him say

_"Nobody says you should,"_ she would respond

_"The baby needs 2 parents,"_ he would argue, _"what if something happens to me"_

_"Something could happen to anyone at any time," _she would say

Would he get mad? Probably not, she decided, it just wasn't his style.

_"What if we don't agree on everything," _she could hear him asking

_"I don't think there's any two people who ever do agree on EVERYTHING"_

She always said that when he worried about that.

She looked at her watch. It was 7 o'clock. Adrian would be home in 15 minutes. She set the table and got everything ready. Just then Adrian came in

"Trudy this is beautiful," he said

"I made your favorite"

He kissed her.

"Adrian," she said, "there's something I want to talk to you about"

"I'm all ears"


	2. First No

Trudy giggled

"What's so funny," he asked

"I'm just trying to imagine you all ears"

Adrian giggled too

"Anyway... Adrian you know how I've been doing volunteer work at the orphanage?"

"Yeah," he said, "how do you like it"

"I LOVE IT," she said, "today they brought in the most beautiful baby. She's two days old. Her name is Hope."

_I hope this isn't leading where I think it's leading_

He shook off his thought and motioned for her to continue

"The second she was placed in my arms I loved her"

He sighed inwardly. He knew what it was about. She wanted to adopt that baby.

"Tru," he said gently, "I'm not sure that's such a great idea"

She smiled gently.

"You knew what I was thinking huh?"

"Yeah... I know you pretty well sweetheart. I can tell what you're thinking"

Her face never lost the smile but her eyes lost her sparkle.

"It's just that-"

"You don't have to explain it," she told him, "its okay"

He could tell she wasn't angry. She was still smiling. It's just that, her eyes had lost their spark.

"Let's go to the theater tonight," she suggested, "S-sound of Music is playing"

"I love that show"

"Me too," she said

"What time does it start?"

"8 o'clock"

"Sounds like a plan," he said, "we can leave in 10 minutes and be a the theater on time"

That night they had a great time at the theater but Trudy seemed distracted.


	3. Guilty

"Monk, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Monk said looking at his friend

Stottlemyer knew his friend well enough to know something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"I feel guilty about something I did"

"What did you do," Stottlemyer asked

Monk looked down

"You can tell me. I promise not to get mad"

"It's not like that," Monk said, "I... I said no to Trudy"

Stottlemyer raised an eyebrow

"Good for you," he said, "I didn't think you had it in you"

Monk looked up without saying anything

"How did she take it?"

"She didn't say anything about it but I could tell she was disappointed"

"Didn't do well at the challenges?"

Monk shook his head

"S-she wanted to adopt this new baby that came to the orphanage"

"Boy or girl?"

"A little girl... Hope"

"Cute name"

"I told her I didn't think it was a good idea"

"And now you think it is?"

He sighed

"I don't know"

"You have to stick to what you say Adrian," Stottlemyer said, "Once you change your no to a yes they think they can walk all over you"

Monk nodded. His resolve had become strong. He smiled.

"Thank you Leland," he said

He went about his day


	4. Resolve is only for those who have it

Going about his day was easy. His resolve was strong. His resolve was strong that is, until he got home and saw Trudy sitting on the couch staring into space. He sat down next to her.

"Honey, are you okay?

"What," she said, "oh yeah I'm fine"

"Trudy I know fine," he said, "and this is not it"

She sighed

"I guess I was a little distracted is all"

"Tru?"

"I'm fine now," she said smiling

"You really love that baby don't you?"

"Yes," she acknowledged, "I love her immensely"

He stroked her hair. For a long while he didn't say anything.

"Tell you what," he said, "how about if I go over to the center today... or rather 'we' go over to the center today"

"Why?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this but to fill at the adoption papers"

Trudy squealed excitedly

"OW honey that **was** my ear"

"Sorry," she said, "are you gonna get mad at that"

"EW. Getting mad is just... EW"

Trudy laughed and kissed him

"How about that," she told him at the end of the kiss.

"That sounds great," he said, "lets go with that"

She laughed and kissed him again.

"That was for being the way you were yesterday," she said playfully

"If this is your way of punishing," he laughed, "I'm gonna be naughty all the time"

"You don't want to do that," she teased, "I may make you change the baby's diaper or something"

"Oh I have every intention of doing everything a father does," he said, "including changing the baby"

* * *

He could never say no to Trudy for long huh...lol


	5. Guidelines

"Since we're going to be adopting," Monk told his wife, "I think we should agree on some guidelines"

"Guidelines?"

"Basic ideas of how we plan to raise her"

"Oh good idea. I'll start. I don't think we should let her cry it out. Babies cry for a reason"

"I totally agree"

"Okay," she said, "your turn"

"She doesn't date guys unless we meet them ahead of time and approve"

Trudy laughed

"I agree," she said, "but I think we have a long way to go before she starts dating... besides how do we know she'll date GUYS"

"Okay," Adrian said, "Your turn"

"Here's one," she said, "no hitting for any reason whatsoever"

"I definitely agree with that," Monk said, "hitting is just... EW"

"Well I'm glad that we agree on that," she told him

"If anyone wants to hold her they have to wash their hands"

"Does that include us too?"

"Of course," he said, "we're not immune to germs just because we're her parents"

"Okay," she said even though she didn't agree, "that's really important to you huh?"

"Keeping my daughter healthy... um let me think yes"

"Careful Mr.," she said laughing, "that sounded a little like talking back"

"Sorry," he said looking a little nervous

"Adrian I was kidding," Trudy told him

He signed in relief

"Good. I don't like water"

"I know," she said smiling

They were quiet for a minute and then she kissed him.

"Adrian," she told him, "I really appreciate that"

"I couldn't stand to see the sparkle go out of your eyes," he explained

"You put the sparkle back in my eye"

He rubbed her shoulders

"Come on," he said, "we should get going before I lose my nerve"


	6. Falling In Love

It was 7 o'clock when the Monk's entered the orphanage.

"Trudy," the owner greeted her, "it's great to see you again"

"Thank you," she told her, "Adrian and I are interested in adopting Jakayla

"Wonderful," the owner said, "I'll go get her"

"Don't we need to fill in the papers," Monk asked

"Normally yes," the owner said, "but Trudy has been volunteering here for a long time. I trust her completely. Come back tomorrow and we can fill out the papers"

"But we don't have any thing for the baby's room and-"

"It's okay," Trudy said gently, "we'll get the stuff"

Monk look like he was about to hyperventilate and then they brought the baby out"

The owner placed Jakayla in Adrian's arms

It was awkward at first

She was so little he was afraid he would break her

As he cradled her she looked up at him and blew a baby kiss.

At that minute he fell in love with the baby.

"Trudy," he whispered, "she's perfect"

"She really is," Trudy said dropping a kiss on the baby's forehead

"She's so tiny"

"Most babies are"

"I'll go get her stuff," the owner told them, "it'll get you through the next day since the stores are closed"

"Can I hold her," Trudy asked

"Sure," Adrian whispered carefully handing the baby to Trudy

She cradled the baby to her.

"Be careful," he told her

"Adrian," she laughed, "I know how to hold a baby"

"I know," he said, "it's just..."

"What? What is it"

"I never knew," he said, "I can't believe how amazing it is to be a father"

Just then it was obvious that Jakayla needed a change

"I'll take care of that," Adrian told Trudy

Changing the baby turned out to be harder then Adrian thought.


	7. Changing A Diaper

As Monk realized his new daughter needed to be changed he forced himself not to throw up. He had never changed a baby in his life.

"Why do you call her Jakayla when her name his Hope," he asked stalling.

"Hope is actually her middle name," the manager explained, "her real name is Jakayla"  
"I think we'll go with Hope," Monk said, "because Jakayla is a GODAWFUL name"

The manager nodded

"That's why we've been calling her Hope," she said laughing

"Honey," Trudy motioned, "why don't you give me the baby so I can go change her"  
"No," he said, "I'm her father. I can change her"

Trudy smiled impressed with his dedication to be being a father.

However Adrian found that changing a baby was not easy. She wasn't just wet. She was messy too. The odor was horrible and he made a funny face. The baby giggled at the funny face.

"Oh that's funny huh," he said blowing a raspberry into the baby's stomach. That just made her laugh more.

He took off the diaper and felt like he was going to puke. He made another funny face causing the baby to giggle again.

"You're just lucky I love you," he told her tickling her.

The baby looked up at him and gave him a huge toothless grin. It was at that point he knew it. He was the lucky one. He had Trudy. He had hope. His life was full, No he took it back. His life was perfect.

He couldn't imagine his life could get any more perfect. He changed her and came back. Trudy was waiting with open arms as he placed the baby in her arms carefully.

"Careful Tru," he told her, "support her head"

She giggled and a thought crossed his mind. They came in as two but they came out as 3.


	8. Spreading The News

The orphanage gave them a car seat for Hope. Once they got to the care Trudy buckled her into the seat and Adrian made sure it was double buckled.

"Just being safe," he told Trudy

"We should go shopping for the baby," Trudy told him, "we're going to need a crib and a bassinet and a stroller and-"

"I get it," he laughed, "we'll go"

They went to Everything Babies. Everything Babies had a HUGE selection of baby items. It was a 45 minutes further then the nearest baby store but Adrian insisted his daughter have the best. Trudy was on cloud nine. Her life was perfect.

She was in awe of how wonderful a father he was. He had only been a father for 8 minutes. Suddenly Trudy realized she had to call her family and tell them the news. She was so excited. She started with her parents.

Dwight Ellison was in the kitchen fixing himself a bowl of soup when the phone rang. He picked it up seeing it was Trudy.

"Hi sweetheart," he said

"Dad guess what," she said, "you're a grandfather"

"Wait…come again?"  
"Adrian and I adopted a baby today," she told him

"You what?"

"Oh dad she is the most beautiful baby ever. She's 2 days old. Her name's Jakayla Hope but we're just calling her Hope"

Dwight was speechless.

"Sweetheart that's incredible… sudden though isn't it?"

"Dwight," Marsha asked, "who is it?"

"It's Trudy," he said with a smile, "we have a grand-daughter"

Marsha blinked

"Dwight we saw them a little less then a week ago," she said, "Trudy did not look pregnant"

"She wasn't," Dwight said, "they adopted the baby today"


	9. Meet The Grandparents

Just as soon as Adrian was getting ready to read _Goodnight Moon _to Hope, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Trudy told him.

It was her parents.

"Mom, dad," she exclaimed excitedly, "what are you doing here"

They both hugged her and Dwight said, "we drove up here tonight. We wanted to meet our grand-daughter"

"GOD I can't believe you came up," she exclaimed excited

"Trudy," Marsha said, "I think it's perfectly reasonable to come up when we find out we're grandparents"

"Of course," she hugged them again, "Adrian guess who's here"

He came out with Hope in his arms  
"Adrian," Dwight greeted him, "good to see you young man"

"Enough with the niceties," Marsha said laughing, "I want to hold my grand-daughter"

"You have to wash your hands first," Adrian said

"We just want her to be safe," Trudy explained for Adrian

"Yeah you know my thing about germs," Adrian apologized

"DON'T YOU APOLOGIZE FOR EVEN A SECOND FOR PROTECTING MY GRAND-DAUGHTER," Marsha said firmly but quietly

Trudy laughed

"Just go wash your hands mom," she said, "then you can hold her"

Marsha went to wash her hands. Meanwhile Dwight, Adrian and Trudy talked a little bit more. Then Marsha came back

"Now give me my grand-daughter," Marsha said

"Marsha is a little impatient," Dwight explained

"I have patience," Marsha insisted, "I just want what I want when I want it and I don't like to wait"

"That's called impatience love," he told her

Marsha just laughed and took the baby.


	10. We're All In This Together

Hope fell asleep a few moments later. Trudy looked at her daughter. She looked at her mother. She looked at her father. She looked at her husband.

"It's amazing," she told Adrian

"You mean Hope?"

"I mean Hope and I mean you"

Adrian kissed her.

"Six weeks ago I never thought my life would be good again"

Adrian nodded remembering how distraught she was when her cousin died.

"I remember that," he whispered

"When things started changing it was overwhelming"

"For me too," he told her, "but I knew that we would get through it"

"We always get through everything because we're in it together"

Adrian nodded his understanding.

"You're just lucky I love you so much Tru," he told her

"You're not telling me anything I don't know," she whispered kissing him

"Excuse me," Dwight replied, "but I'd like a chance to hold my grand-daughter"

"Go you're your hands," Adrian told him, "and then you can hold her no problem"

Dwight laughed

He knew that this was important to Adrian.

"Okay," he said and kissed Hope's forehead

Adrian got a wipe and washed off the baby's head after Dwight left to wash his hands

Trudy looked at him


	11. Normal For A Mother

Hope had fallen asleep a short time later.

"Just like you," Marsha said, "Slept so beautifully."

Trudy laughed.

"Oh mom," she said, "in your eyes I was perfect"

"Anyone who had eyes could see that you were perfect," Dwight said, "and you still are."

"Hope is perfect," Trudy said with a smile.

"Of course she is. She's an extension of you"

Trudy laughed that off but inside she was glowing. She never thought her life could be so perfect.

"Mom," Trudy asked, "Did you always find it easy to love me"

Marsha knew exactly what was on her daughter's mind. Trudy had been six when her baby brother was born. She was holding him one day, when he was a week old and she had a seizure. She dropped him during it and he died shortly thereafter. Adrian also knew that this was on her mind.

"Honey I would have found it impossible not to love you," Marsha said, "even if I tried. You couldn't control the fact that you had a brain tumor. You certainly couldn't control the fact that you had a seizure. What happened to your brother could have happened to anyone! It was a terrible tragedy but it was **NOT** your fault.

"Even if it were I would still love you"

She was sick for almost 4 years. Her illness affected her in many ways. She would have nightmares, personality changes, mood swings and she was terrified of change just to name a few. She went into remission when she was 9 1/2.

Now, so many years later she knew she was not at risk of getting sick again. Even though she knew that was true, she was still terrified. What if she had a seizure while holding Hope?

"Every new mother has the fears you have," Marsha said.

"Every new father too," Adrian told her softly.

"Thank you," she said, "for not thinking I'm crazy"

"If you didn't worry," Dwight said, "I would think you were crazy. Parents worry all the time. It's in the job description. But you learn what to worry about and what not to worry about."

"You guys always seemed so natural at it"

"Parenting and natural are not two things that go together," Dwight said, "and everything you're feeling right now is natural"

"Right now my life is perfect. I want my baby's life to be perfect."

"Every parent does," Marsha said gently.


	12. Two New Aditions

Hope grew into a beautiful little girl. She was the pride and joy of her parents life. One day Monk went to pick Trudy up from the orphanage. Hope ran off to play with her friend Bella. Trudy was holding a beautiful baby when he picked her up.

"Uh-oh," he whispered affectionately.

"Uh-oh what? What uh-oh," she asked grinning.

"Uh," he motioned to the baby in her arms.

"Adrian I hold babies all the time," she said, "What's the point?"

"Yes but this child is different. I saw the same look in your eye when you were holding Hope."

"Oh. Well that might have something to do with the fact that this baby is Hope's sister... meaning they have the same mother and father..."

Her voice trailed off.

"I know what sister means," he said laughing, "and yes they do"

"Adrian are you serious," she asked grinning widely

"Last I checked I was a-"

Before he could finish that sentence four-year-old Bella and Hope came in.

"Mommy, daddy me and Bella have something to ask you," Hope said, "We were wondering if you could 'dopt Bella"

Adrian and Trudy looked at each other for a moment. Could they really handle three children. But then again they rarely said no when it came to Hope. Every time they did say no it had to do with her safety.

"Trudy what do you think," Adrian asked.

"Well Bella practically is a part of our family anyway and we can handle three"

"Three," Hope asked curiously

Trudy introduced Hope and Bella to their new sister. They both were taken with her.

"Could I hold her mommy," Hope asked.

"Go wash your hands first," Adrian said, "and then you can"

"I wanna hold her too," Bella said

Hope let Bella go first. She was always giving like that. Then it was Hope's turn. Due to circumstances they would have to foster first for a short time before the adoption was official. It was just procedure and nothing to worry about. Angeliquia assured them that the children would be officially theirs in less then a month. As promised they sailed through the fostering and Bella and Faith were theirs in 3 weeks. It was an exciting day. The kids really took to each other. This was perfect. Adrian had Trudy and this 3 beautiful girls. He thought his life had been complete... but life sometimes has 3 or 4 little surprises for you when you're least **expecting** them.


	13. Six Is Enough

Trudy continued her volenteer work in the orphanage even as it wasn't totally needed. She loved it. She loved everything about it. One of her favorate parts of it was working with the babies. Trudy loved it when Adrian and the girls would come pick her up too. For them; Trudy and Adrian, it was so easy to be positive. It just came naturally.

...

Adrian and the girls got there a little early. They decided that they'd get a bite of dinner after after on the way home. Hope suggested Fun Zone (and Faith and Bella agreed) but they also decided to go to Fairy Tale Island the following week. Faith was now three and Hope had turned six. Bella would be six in 3 days. Faith went off to play with her friend Tianna while Angeliqua, the owner of the orphanage talked to Bella and Hope.

"We have a pair of twins brought in today girls," she said, "Would you like to see them"

The girls loved holding the babies.

"YAY," they both said at the same time.

...

When Adrian and Trudy came in to get the girls they noticed that Bella and Hope couldn't take their eyes off of the newborns in their arms.

"She should be Glory," Bella said.

"And she should be Chairity," Hope continued motioning to the baby in her arms.

"Why do I feel like we're going to be coming home with two more people then we started out with," Trudy whispered to Adrian with a smile

Faith came in with Tianna. She had the same look on her face that Hope did with Bella.

"Make that 3," Monk whispered back to Trudy.

"So Faith and me are thinking," Tianna said, "and-"

"And you want us to adopt you too Tianna," Monk summed up.

"Um... how did you know"

"We'd be glad to," Trudy said.

"What about the twins," Hope asked.

"Well we'll need to get a double stroller for Fairy Tale Island," Monk said, "Other then that I don't see where the problem is"

"We'd need to get a lot of stuff," Trudy said

...

They were told to fill out the paperwork and return the next day. This time they didn't have to go through the fostering. It was simply filling out the paperwork and putting it through.

"No more after this," Adrian told Trudy, "I think six is enough"

"I agree," Trudy said laughing.

The next day they went to pick up the girls. Things would be fine. She knew it. He knew it. Then something surprising happened.


End file.
